SSD vs UFPI: How Simpson Manufacturing Co and UFP Industries Compare (2026)
Last updated August 2026
Short answer
SSD and UFPI are similarly sized, but UFPI trades noticeably cheaper on forward earnings (15.51x vs 19.33x): the market is paying up for SSD's profile and pricing UFPI more conservatively, or for faster growth. Which you prefer comes down to the drivers you believe, and whether adding either over-concentrates what you already own.
SSD vs UFPI: the tie-breaker metrics
Same yardstick, side by side (as of August 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.
| Metric | SSD | UFPI | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward P/E | 19.33 | 15.51 | Valuation on next year's expected earnings, the same yardstick for both. Lower is cheaper for that growth; higher means the market is paying up. |
| Trailing P/E | 20.59 | 19.80 | Valuation on the last 12 months. A big drop from trailing to forward means the market expects earnings to jump, so more growth is already in the price. |
| Beta | 1.30 | 1.23 | Volatility vs the market. Above 1 swings harder than the index; below 1 is steadier. Higher beta means bigger drawdowns to hold through. |
| Price vs 52-week range | 55% of range | 22% of range | Where today's price sits between the 52-week low and high. Near the high is momentum with less margin of safety; near the low is out of favor or a discount, depending on why. |
Reading it: UFPI is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.
Before you buy: how SSD and UFPI affect your concentration
The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. SSD and UFPI share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.
This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined SSD and UFPI exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.
What does Simpson Manufacturing Co (SSD) do?
Simpson Manufacturing Co., Inc. (NYSE: SSD), headquartered in Pleasanton, California, designs, engineers, manufactures, and sells structural solutions for wood, concrete, and steel connections primarily through its Simpson Strong-Tie subsidiary. Its product portfolio spans connectors, truss plates, fastening systems, shearwalls, adhesives, mechanical anchors, fiber-reinforced polymer systems, and software tools for structural design. The company sells into residential construction, commercial and infrastructure markets, and the repair and remodel segment across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region, with North America accounting for the substantial majority of revenue. Revenue is generated by selling engineered building products through distributors, dealers, and direct-to-builder relationships, with the brand's deep code-approval network and specification culture creating meaningful switching costs.
What does UFP Industries (UFPI) do?
UFP Industries operates through three core segments: Retail (ProWood pressure-treated lumber, Deckorators composite decking, and UFP-Edge), Packaging (structural and protective packaging plus PalletOne), and Construction (factory-built housing, site-built and commercial construction, and concrete forming). The company designs, manufactures, and distributes lumber, wood composites, and engineered products, growing over decades through a mix of organic expansion and steady bolt-on acquisitions. It carries a strong balance sheet and pays a growing dividend.
SSD vs UFPI: how do they differ?
Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.
- SSD drivers: Code-Driven Specification Moat; Building Code Tailwinds and Safety Demand.
- UFPI drivers: Value-added and branded product mix; Acquisition-driven expansion.
Which fits which kind of investor
A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: The most direct risk is a prolonged U.S. For UFPI, uFPI is highly cyclical and its revenue and margins compress when housing and industrial demand soften, as seen in the roughly 8% Q1 2026 sales decline and 30%-plus drop in operating profit.
SSD or UFPI: which should you pick?
SSD vs UFPI: the full fundamentals
SSD. SSD trades at a trailing P/E of roughly 21 to 22 times, broadly in line with the U.S. building industry average and modestly below its own ten-year average of approximately 21.7 times, suggesting the market is not pricing in significant multiple expansion. The company's North America gross margins near 47 to 50 percent stand out as unusually high for a manufacturer, reflecting the brand and specification premium embedded in its product mix. Full-year 2025 revenue growth of approximately 4.5 percent and an operating margin of 19.6 percent demonstrate resilience in a below-trend housing environment, though the path to management's stated 20 percent-plus margin target depends partly on housing volume recovery.
UFPI. UFPI trades around 20 times trailing earnings with a market cap near $5.4 billion on roughly $6.2 billion in trailing revenue. Earnings have contracted through the downcycle, with Q1 2026 EPS of about $0.89 missing estimates as margins compressed. The valuation reflects a profitable, cash-generative cyclical near a demand trough rather than a growth story.
Headline figures (approximate, 2025-07-28): SSD shows revenue (full-year 2025) ~$2.33 billion, revenue (ttm through q2 2025) ~$2.38 billion, operating margin (full-year 2025) ~19.6%, net profit margin (ttm through q2 2025) ~14.5%; UFPI shows revenue (ttm) ~$6.2B, net income (ttm) ~$264M, market cap ~$5.4B, p/e (trailing) ~20x.
The bottom line: SSD vs UFPI
SSD and UFPI are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined SSD and UFPI exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.
Wondering how SSD or UFPI fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.
Investing in Simpson Manufacturing Co with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how SSD fits what you actually hold: whether you own it already through a fund, what it would do to your concentration, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.
FAQ
What is the difference between SSD and UFPI?
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Simpson Manufacturing Co., Inc. UFP Industries operates through three core segments: Retail (ProWood pressure-treated lumber, Deckorators composite decking, and UFP-Edge), Packaging (structural and protective packaging plus PalletOne), and Construction (factory-built housing, site-built and commercial construction, and concrete forming). They show up together because they share investment themes, but they are different businesses, so the better fit depends on which thesis you are expressing.
Is SSD or UFPI the better stock?
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Neither is universally better; they suit different views and risk levels. Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Compare what each does, the tie-breaker metrics above, and the risks, then decide which fits your thesis and what you already own.
Which is cheaper, SSD or UFPI?
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On forward P/E (as of August 2026), SSD trades at 19.33x and UFPI at 15.51x, so UFPI is the cheaper of the two on next year's expected earnings. A lower multiple is not automatically the better buy: a richer valuation can be justified by faster growth, and a lower one can reflect real risk. Weigh the multiple against how fast each business is compounding.
Should you own both SSD and UFPI?
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Because they share themes, owning both concentrates you in that theme. That can be intentional (a focused bet) or accidental (less diversification than it looks). Walnut can show your combined exposure across both, and whether adding either over-concentrates you, before you buy.
What are the risks of SSD vs UFPI?
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SSD: The most direct risk is a prolonged U.S. housing downturn: trailing twelve-month housing starts for the period ending March 2025 were approximately 1.36 million, still below historical norms, and any further decline reduces connector volume and tests the ability to absorb fixed manufacturing costs. Tariffs on certain imported fastener and anchor products have already begun pressuring gross margins, as noted in Q4 2025 and Q2 2025 results, and further trade policy changes could amplify this headwind. Steel and other raw material cost inflation can compress margins faster than price increases can be implemented, particularly in competitive European markets where gross margins run closer to 35 to 36 percent. Finally, the stock's valuation (trailing P/E near 20 to 22 times) leaves limited margin for error if housing recovery proves slower than consensus expects. UFPI: UFPI is highly cyclical and its revenue and margins compress when housing and industrial demand soften, as seen in the roughly 8% Q1 2026 sales decline and 30%-plus drop in operating profit. Lumber and commodity price volatility can swing both pricing and gross margin sharply in either direction. Weak residential construction, higher interest rates, and adverse weather all directly pressure volumes. Rising healthcare, fuel, and labor costs squeeze profitability. Integration risk from acquisitions and competition from larger distributors and manufacturers add further uncertainty.
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. This page is descriptive and not a recommendation to buy or sell SSD or UFPI; figures are approximate and dated (as of August 2026). Verify current data before investing.